Arrangement for handling objects

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for lifting (or, otherwise handling) objects, involving a plurality of movable contact members spatially arranged on a longitudinally extendible control element in which control element is movably connected with one or more transverse link mechanisms. According to the invention, each transverse link mechanism is comprised of an extensible and constrictable element, (e.g., a lazy tong mechanism) which is supported by a carriage in the lifting device, in turn, is provided with mountings for the control elements which carry and adjust suction cups in the longitudinal direction so that the longitudinal adjustment of the control elements (and thereby of the suction cups) is accomplished by means of movement of the carriage relative to the lifting device or another carriage. The adjustment of the suction cups in the transverse direction is accomplished by extension or constriction of the transverse link mechanism to increase or decrease the spacing of the control elements.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Striirnbeck, Per Albin; Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Signar Alexander Karlsson; Jan-Eje Assistant ExaminerGeorge F. Abraham Ericsson, all of Sundsvall, Sweden Att0rney--Pierce, Scheffler & Parker [211 App]. No. 867,710 [22] Filed Oct. 20, 1969 patfemed 1971 ABSTRACT: An apparatus for lifting (or, otherwise handling) Asslgnee svenska Celluhsa Aktebolaget objects, involving a plurality of movable contact members spasundsvauv swede tially arranged on a longitudinally extendible control element in which control element is movably connected with one or ARRANGEMENT FOR HANDLING OBJECTS more transverse l nk mechan sms According to the invent on, each transverse link mechanism is comprised of an extensible 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

and constrictable element, (e.g., a lazy tong mechanism) U-S- which is supported a carriage in the device in tum i5 294/31 provided with mountings for the control elements which carry [51] lnt.Cl B666 1/02 and adjust sugtion cups in the longitudinal direction so that [50] Field Of Search 65, the longitudinal adjustment of the control elements (and 37 thereby of the suction cups) is accomplished by means of R f d movement of the carriage relative to the lifting device or [56] e In another carriage. The adjustment of the suction cups in the UNITED STATES PATENTS transverse direction is accomplished by extension or constric- 3,302,967 2/1967 Harris 294/65 tion of the transverse link mechanism to increase or decrease 3,410,594 11/1968 Albrecht 294/81 the spacing of the control elements.

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SHEET k 0F 4 ARRANGEMENT FOR HANDLING OBJECTS This invention relates to an arrangement adapted for handling objects, preferably goods packed in the form of piece goods, in containers or in the form of unit loads.

The arrangement according to the invention is primarily intended for simultaneously lifting a plurality of such units or containers. There is no hinder, however, to apply the arrangement for lifting a few units or only one unit.

The invention has come about mainly for solving those problems which arise at the loading and unloading of ships with cellulose bales, paper rolls or containers where the ship receives units of varying dimensions. Several suggestions for the construction of lifting arrangements adapted to lift simultaneously several units of the same dimension have been made previously, and some of them also have been realized and applied in practice. At some of these arrangements the lifting means is applied to the load or unit by utilizing vacuum, a socalled vacuum device, the lifting device being a suction cup, which is brought into contact with the load whereafter by vacuum a hold on the load is obtained which is sufficient for lifting the same.

The present invention relates to a lifting means of this type which is provided with one, preferably several contact or grip members for handling and lifting simultaneously one or several loads or units.

The problem of this lifting means, however, has been to render it possible without manual operation to apply the contact or grip members in a correct position on units stored in the cargo space of a ship, on quays, in store rooms or other storage sites. It is important that the lifting device provides a safe hold on or good contact with the load and that the load upon its lifting is suspended in the lifting device in such a manner, that a displacement or an accurate placing of the load, for example in the cargo space of a ship, is not rendered more difficult. The lifting device, i.e. the grip or contact member, thus can be caused to engage the load at a position near the axis of symmetry through the load. The invention is not restricted to a special form of lifting device, grip or contact member, but relates to all arrangements which can be imagined to fulfill this function. The invention on the whole can be applied in such cases where one or several movable members are to be brought into contact with objects, which in advance are placed in position, possibly after a certain pattern.

The invention is described in the following in connection with the lifting means for unit loads or containers. In modern transport engineering where materials increasingly are packed in the form of unit loads, it is now required, owing to the high labor costs, that the handling can be carried out with a minimum of labor, and that the loads are transported on vehicles or ships specially designed for different purposes where it is of high economic importance that the available cargo space is utilized to 100 percent. This involves high requirements on the means applied for lifting and handling the load.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the lifting unit from which the longitudinal extendible shear mechanism appears,

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the unit from which the transverse extendible shear mechanism appears,

FIG. 3 on a larger scale shows a side view of the transverse extendible shear mechanism separated from the lifting unit,

FIG. 4 shows on a larger scale a detail of the mounting of the longitudinal extendible shear mechanism on the transverse extendible shear mechanism.

The embodiment described is intended for use at the lifting and handling of a plurality of units, for example paper rolls,

which by trucks are transported to a loading place, for exam-' plc a quay, for being lifted aboard a ship by the lifting unit. The paper rolls are placed with their cylindrical surfaces extending in vertical direction and are arranged in a pattern ad- 'justed to the cargo space of the ship. The contact member,

which in the embodiment shown comprises suction cups 1 for lifting by vacuum is intended to be brought into contact with the plane surfaces of the rolls. It is important hereby to place the suction cups 1 centrally on the roll as to prevent the roll from suspending obliquely when it is being lifted.

The arrangement according to the invention renders it possible to lift rolls both of any diameter and of any pattern on the quay, by using longitudinal extendible shears 2 of a dimen sion adjusted to the diameter. The geometric pattern of the suction cups 1 is adjusted automatically after a predetermined program or can be set from a control panel in the crane operators cabin.

The control elements are two substantially parallel link systems comprising a plurality of shears each of which comprises two links 3, 4, which are connected with each other and rotatable in relation to each other by a central shaft or journal 5. Both of said links 3, 4, moreover, are provided at certain end portions with corresponding shafts 6 for connection to adextendible in the longitudinal direction and to which the suction cups 1 are fastened with a certain spaced relationship. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the suction cups are fastened so that two shears are located therebetween. The suction cups 1 are suspended in a lower shaft 7 on a shears and rotatable about the same. The two longitudinal shears 2 are provided at two positions in the longitudinal direction with two conical bushings 10 located above each other and secured on a journal in one of the links. Between the two longitudinal shears are arranged two transverse shears 9, which in principle have the same construction as the longitudinal shears 2. Said transverse shears 2 are at their end portions provided with joints 13 for connection to the bushings 10 of the longitudinal shears 2. By these transverse shears 9 it is possible to control the distance of the suction cups 1 in transverse direction.

The longitudinal shears 2 are manufactured with different dimensions for the lifting of units within different dimension ranges. The longitudinal shears 2 can be secured by a simple locking mechanism, for example a rod 11, on the transverse shears 9 and, thus, be exchanged in a very short time by simple manipulations and tools.

The arrangement furthermore comprises guide arms for placing the suction cups concentrically on the rolls. Said guide arms can correct possible errors in the location of the arrangement above the rolls at the distance indicated (about mm.) before the arrangement is lowered into contact with the rolls. The guide arms are suspended in the longitudinal link system at the middle between two suction cups. This location is not changed, irrespective of the distance (diameter) set by the adjusting screw 12 described below. The position of the guide arms in transverse direction is controlled by cams mounted on the links 3, 4 of the longitudinal shears. Upon every angular change of these links also the position of the cams is changed. Said positions are so adjusted that the guide arms always assume correct distance in transverse direction when they are folded down. In this way the guide arms are so controlled that they always enter the space formed between two rolls tangent to each other.

The loading or unloading list handed to the crane operator includes information on the diameter of the rolls to be lifted. The crane operator, thus, by an adjusting screw 12 can adjust the corresponding distance (diameter) in the longitudinal and transverse direction between two suction cups 1 before he places the arrangement on the rolls. When the arrangement is approx. 150 mm. above the rolls, at automatic operation the guide arms and vacuum pumps are started by transmitters 8 built min the suction cups 1. For manual operation buttons are placed in the control means for the crane, by which buttons the guide arms and vacuum pumps can be started when the automatic control does not work.

The guide arms stop in folded-down position for the period required for lowering the arrangement through the last distance whereafter they return upwards automatically. This period can be controlled by a timing relay.

The number of rolls to be lifted may be 6, 8 or 12. These rolls are arranged at lifting in a geometric square pattern or shifted 30 in one or the other of two directions.

The transverse shears 9 are suspended in brackets 14, which in their turn are mounted in a carriage 15. The carriage has four wheels running in pairs in grooves in the longitudinal supporting beams of the main frame 17. The carriages are connected with the nuts of the adjusting screw by brackets 16.

What we claim is:

1. An arrangement in a suction lifting device for the handling of objects by means of a number of suction cups which are arranged in a spaced relationship on at least two control elements extensible in the longitudinal direction for adjusting the mutual distance of the suction cups in the longitudinal direction of functionally associated control elements, whereby the control elements are connected by means of at least one transverse link mechanism for adjusting the distance of the control elements and thus of the suction cups in the transverse direction, to bring the positions of cups to coincide with predetermined points of engagement on objects to be lifted,

the improvement according to which each transverse link mechanism is comprised of an extensible and constrictable element, which is supported by a movable carriage in the lifting device, and in turn is provided with mountings for the control elements whose adjustment in the longitudinal direction is accomplished by the movement of the movable carriage relative to another part of the lifting device, and in the transverse direction, by extension and constriction of the transverse link mechanism.

2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, according to which the control elements are of pantograph mechanism type and the suction cups are suspended rotatably on a substantially horizontal journal common to two links of the mechanism.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the control elements are readily exchangeably mounted in the transverse link mechanism by means of conical bushings.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, wherein the transverse link mechanism is provided with joints into which the control elements are pushed and locked by a rod. 

1. An arrangement in a suction lifting device for the handling of objects by means of a number of suction cups which are arranged in a spaced relationship on at least two control elements extensible in the longitudinal direction for adjusting the mutual distance of the suction cups in the longitudinal direction of functionally associated control elements, whereby the control elements are connected by means of at least one transverse link mechanism for adjusting the distance of the control elements and thus of the suction cups in the transverse direction, to bring the positions of cups to coincide with predetermined points of engagement on objects to be lifted, the improvement according to which each transverse link mechanism is comprised of an extensible and constrictable element, which is supported by a movable carriage in the lifting device, and in turn is provided with mountings for the control elements whose adjustment in the longitudinal direction is accomplished by the movement of the movable carriage relative to another part of the lifting device, and in the transverse direction, by extension and constriction of the transverse link mechanism.
 2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, according to which the control elements are of pantograph mechanism type and the suction cups are suspended rotatably on a substantially horizontal journal common to two links of the mechanism.
 3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the control elements are readily exchangEably mounted in the transverse link mechanism by means of conical bushings.
 4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, wherein the transverse link mechanism is provided with joints into which the control elements are pushed and locked by a rod. 